Integrated Unit Planner

Critical Content/Concept Web

Unit Theme: The Power & Value of Words
Conceptual Lens: power
Unit Length: 8 weeks
Grade Level(s): 10th grade

Unit Overview

Picture this: It's the middle of winter and you, your mother, and your brother are riding across country in a crowded cargo train filled with other people. It's cold and dark and when the train stops, you and your mother realize your brother has frozen to death. Before you can even mourn the loss of your brother, your mother leaves you with a foster family consisting of a man and woman old enough to be your grandparents. It's 1939, in Nazi Germany. Dangerous times for your foster family, who is hiding the Jewish man in their basement. And dangerous for you...the girl who has decided to take upon herself to steal books from the local book burning pile. All around you, every day, people are risking their lives...including you. Join me on this journey through Markus Zusak's novel, The Book Thief to find out exactly how words have the power to set us free.

English	Social Studies
- Major Text: The Book Thief - poetry - point of view - theme -mood/tone - vocabulary	- speeches/oral - Mien Kampf (excerpts) - book burning

Designer(s): Melody Tinkham & Jim Burrell

Students will understand that... words have power and value.

Essential Question: How do the events around us determine what words are powerful?

Mission Statement: "The Mt. Blue School District (RSU 9) is committed to providing a safe, nurturing, and accepting environment where students can explore and develop their creative and intellectual abilities. We shall educate students, promote their self-esteem, and encourage them to achieve their maximum potential. Students will demonstrate the ability to solve problems and to be self directed life-long learners. As productive members of our society students will demonstrate compassion and ethical judgment."